Greetings on this the Friday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Ru 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22; Ps 146:5-6ab, 6c-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10; Mt 22:34-40
Notes: A favorite biblical story ahead!
The Book of Ruth is named for the Moabite woman who commits herself to the Israelite people by an oath to her mother-in-law Naomi and becomes the great-grandmother of David by marriage to Boaz of Bethlehem. Thus she is an ancestor in the messianic line that leads to Jesus (Mt 1:5).
One of the classic short stories of world literature.
Source: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ruth/0
Love. Love between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can be profoundly wonderful! No, should be profoundly wonderful! They have their femininity in common. They have the same man in common. They are children of G-d in common.
Everything depends on love. Love of G-d. Love of the Other.
Love comes from G-d and is made possible in us by G-d and is for reciprocal love to G-d and with one another. And they traveled to Bêth lehem, meaning “house of bread”. Divine Love is our bread.
Next week we jump the continuous readings to 1 Thessalonians so I recommend you enjoy the Book of Ruth – the four chapters – as a good read for a summer’s day.
First Reading
But Ruth said, “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Responsorial
Praise the Lord, my soul!
Gospel Acclamation
Teach me your paths, my God, guide me in your truth.
Gospel
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry